2 shot dead in Atwima-Foase over siting of new district capital

Four persons have been killed in Atwima-Foase in the Atwima Kwanwoma District of the Ashanti Region following a misunderstanding over the siting of a new district capital.

The two were allegedly shot to death by personnel from the Buffalo Unit of the Ghana Police Service who were dispatched to the town to help maintain calm after confusion erupted over the movement of equipment belonging to the District Assembly from Atwima-Foase to Trede.

One of the workers at the District Assembly, who pleaded anonymity told Adom News’ Obiri Yeboah Fentemfrem that the confusion started after the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Atwima-Kwanwoma, went to the palace of the Atwima-Foase chief to inform him that they were getting set to move out of the town.

“Less than 10 minutes later, we saw the people moving to the District Assembly in drones, they instructed the workers to stop working. All the staff here were terrified, so we run into offices and locked ourselves up…,” he said.

According to him, some few minutes after the people converged at the Assembly, they heard the firing of guns which resulted in the death of the two including a Mason who is a member of the local society of the Methodist Church.

The claim of the District Assembly staff was corroborated by the Methodist Minister in Atwima Foase, Nicholas Twih, who said he was shocked at the news of the death of his congregant who is a Mason.

“One of my church members who is a mason is dead. He was shot in the eye and we could see that his eyes had been gouged out…he is a mason…,” he said.

A native of the town, Felicia, also claimed that personnel of the Buffalo unit of the Ghana Police Service arrived at the scene to fire the warning shots also claimed further that the personnel were dispatched to the scene after two reinforcements from the Police failed to bring the situation under control.

“The Police dispatched two reinforcement teams into the town but they could not help bring the situation under control as the men of the town had blocked the road leading to the town.

“It was the Buffalo team that stormed the town and started shooting into the crowd. We started running helter-skelter for our dear lives and as I speak two people are dead and I have seen others injured…,” she said.

The Methodist Minister described the situation in the town as sorrowful, adding that people are still escaping from the town for their dear lives.

“So many people are crying, others are also running for dear lives, if you had called me earlier, you would have heard me crying…we are appealing to the government to be bold on the siting of the district capital…,” he said.

According to the residents, the Police in the Region have started dispatching more troops to the Twima-Foase town.